Thursday, April 20, 2017

As I looked around the congregation at church last night, I wondered why it was so much smaller than it was Sunday morning. Of course, I know some people aren't able to come back & some may have to work, but I'm sure there are others who could be there, but just don't choose to come back. This is discouraging to a pastor who is teaching or preaching God's Word. Here is a poem that I wrote about this very thing:

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Monday, April 10, 2017

Grace is God
reaching downward to a people who are constantly pushing back against Him, who
are in rebellion against Him. Scripture tells us that all people sin and
fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) and that we deserve death (Rom. 6:23). But in His lovingkindness and
mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us and take upon himself the
punishment that we deserve. Romans 4:24-25 says that righteousness “will
be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

Paul writes in
Romans 5:8, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.” The grace of God did not come at a time when we had
everything together, all of our ducks lined up in a row. No, grace comes
to us when we are broken and can offer nothing in return. “Grace is most
needed and best understood in the midst of sin, suffering, and brokenness."

We come to God with nothing in our hands to
offer but our brokenness and sin, and He gladly takes it and gives to us new
life as His child.

“Grace
is love coming at you that has nothing to do with you, the beloved. It has
everything and only to do with the lover.”

Friday, April 7, 2017

Grace. It’s a word that I read about and hear a
lot. It’s in the Bible, sermons, poems, hymns, quotes, devotions, songs, and
study material. But exactly what is it? I guess the simplest definition I’ve
seen is unmerited favor.

Well, what is unmerited?Since
merit means earning or deserving something, then unmerited means not earning or
deserving something.

Then, there’s favor.Favor is being given something good, like kindness or a helping hand.

So, when youreceive grace, you’re given something better than what you deserve.

God gives us grace
thru Jesus. When He was on the cross, Jesus took all the punishment that
we deserve and placed it on Himself. On that cross, Jesus gave us a
relationship with God, something we can’t earn nor deserve.

Always watch where you are going. Otherwise,
you may step on a piece of the Forest that was
left out by mistake.
-- Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A.A. Milne

Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask
someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it.
-- Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing,
of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not
bothering.
-- Piglet, Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne

I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long
words bother me.
-- Winnie the Pooh

"I don't see much sense in that,"
said Rabbit. "No," said Pooh humbly, "there isn't. But there was
going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the
way."
-- Winnie the Pooh